The Search for Shalla-Bal
by The Ikran Rider
Summary: Norrin Radd has returned and realized he's on exile, which means he won't see his beloved and his home again. But Terri has a plan and Shalla-Bal has gone missing. Now its up to the team to bring her and the Surfer back where they belong.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This might not be one of my best work; it's very old, made in 2009 like "The Mutant Island." But this one takes place after the events of "Rise of the Silver Surfer." Although, it's not set from my OC's perspective. After two years of yearning of where the Surfer is, Terri goes on a mission to find him herself. The reunion then turns into a rescue mission as he's desperate to find his beloved, Shalla-Bal.**

It's been two years since Reed and Sue tied the knot. During that time Terri has been preoccupied on finding Norrin Radd, also known as the Silver Surfer. So far, there has been no luck. A few years back Reed made the FantastiCar, which is a huge jet that can travel on land, water, and air...except in space. In response to that, Terri has sent an aircraft that has these capabilities, the AstroWing.

It had been five years since she last used it. By that time Reed constantly figured out what makes the AstroWing and the FantastiCar unique from each other. When it finally came a few weeks later, Terri noticed how unsanitary it was. In order for it to work properly, she has to clean every nook and cranny both inside and out.

After several hours of dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, polishing, cleaning the residue and emptying the trash from the cockpit while listening to Johnny's mix CDs, she was almost ready. All she had to do was to make sure that there was enough fuel, LiquidO2, and to do that she needed to make an equal amount in each wing. Sometimes she had to jump on them lightly until its caller, Lucille, confirms that it s ready for takeoff.

One night she was looking through a huge telescope trying to find Norrin but all she saw was a silvery capsule. She thought it was space trash left from the team's DNA mission, but she wasn't certain. The lens didn't give it a clear view so she zoomed in closer. While she was looking very hard, Sue touched her shoulder and they both yelped.

They apologized and Terri said she was using the telescope to "look at the wind, you know. Being creative." They both said good night to each other then she looked again, only this time the silvery object was gone. She waited for tomorrow night to use her AstroWing to see the object up close.

The flight went smoothly then Lucille warned her that there is unknown radiation ahead. Whatever it was looked like a comet traveling fast, but she could tell it was making it's own energy. She heard the phrases: unknown radiation...making it's own energy, then it came to her; Norrin is here.

She started to give chase and then she saw a figure shining through, it looked like someone on a surfboard. Like a trucker, she kept calling his name and to stop moving. The steering handles started to jiggle and she heard something shoot out. Somehow Lucille made the AstroWing shoot a bomb automatically. It hit the board and in response Norrin released an energy blast and the ship went down.

The handles went back and the nose dove and spun out of control, but Terri managed to keep the nose up as it crashlanded on a stormy, snowy terrain. Terri was unconscious then Norrin came to see who shot him. He opened the AstroWing and took the air mask off, then he realized who it was. After a few minutes of comforting her, the ship was closed and then he left.

The next morning Terri came to. She was covered in thick blankets and the inside of the ship was very warm. She immediately understood that someone was in the ship, but there were no footprints.

She frantically looked around but no one showed up. Then she tried calling the team saying she'd been stranded somewhere at the Arctic Circle. When she looked again the ship began to power up.

Curious, she went to it and she felt her hairs on her neck stick up. She looked behind and demanded while holding a crowbar, "Hold and turn or you will be hit by a crowbar!"

Then the figure looked up; to her surprise it was Norrin. When she found her words, she was amazed he was alive after he blew up Galactus. She invited him inside the ship and began a long discussion.

At this time, Norrin wanted to go back home and reunite with his people since he's been gone for so long. But as he reached the end of the universe, he can't go any further. She asked why not and then he hesitated. Then it all made sense.

Because the Sliver Surfer was in exile, Terri was outraged and has decided to make a secret mission in which she and a copilot would travel to his universe and retrieve his loved one by the name of Shalla-Bal.

She picked two members, Reed and Ben, but because there wasn't a lot of room she has to choose only one person to go. First the team casted their votes: Sue, Frankie, and John Myers chose Reed while Johnny, Alicia, and Norrin picked Ben. Since there was a tie Ben suggested an arm wrestle, then she said it would be one-sided and he would win it for sure.

Next she declared a rock, paper, scissors competition: Whoever gets the best out of three matches first is the winner. After that Reed became Terri's copilot for the mission; however, he still has to pass the flying simulation while she gives the AstroWing itself some test flights. They've done their parts and the liftoff was scheduled for a dark, chilly Monday evening.

After a hearty meal, Reed and Terri tested their skills on her new flight simulator. First they did a team mission, then they had a fast-paced face off. In the end, Reed became champ and she congratulated him for his great combative skills.

Then they started to pack their bags for a one and a half week journey to Zenn-La and back. He made the calculations that it would take 6,000 light years to get to their destination. With only five minutes to spare, they said their last goodbyes to their friends and then it was off to the cockpit.

Norrin said he will assist them going through the atmosphere as they leave Earth behind. Terri told him that he will wait for them when they come back with Shalla-Bal, along with some memos of the times they shared before he served Galactus. They fastened their seat belts as the AstroWing ran down the runway.

As Terri gained 150 mph, she signaled Reed to shift the nozzle down so it can go off the ground. The wheels folded in, the wings extended, and she pulled the controllers up as the aircraft took flight. After a shaky start, thanks to the turbulence, they were pulled back by the G-force as they entered the atmosphere with Norrin just ahead.

A couple minutes later everything started to become smooth and calm. Reed and Terri were alright and she in awe looked out the side window to see the big blue planet close by. Norrin was waiting for them and they started to follow him as they made their first foot on their perilous mission. Not only that, but it was also the first time in history that any human can see Mars, venture through the asteroid belt, discover the outer planets, and leave to another distant universe.

As Reed and Terri watched their home planet disappear, she called Susan and told her that they have started their mission after exiting the atmosphere safely. Even from another solar system, the AsttroWing can contact people from anytime, anywhere, just as long as they had fuel in their tanks. One crisis entailed that if they run out, they would also lose oxygen. In case of an emergency, Terri organized a closet consisting of a 5-foot space suit and a pair of 6-inch magnetic boots, along with a 6-foot space suit and a pair of 7 inch boots.

In the back section there was a small microwave oven and a refrigerator loaded with snacks and portable goods, even freeze-dried ice cream which had chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and Terri's favorite, mint chip.

While they were finished listening to "Space Cowboy" by N'sync and Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes, the AstroWing went into hyper speed. Terri kept a wary eye on the fuel gauge, because the longer they stay in hyper speed the more fuel it uses. She also kept an eye on the virtual map as well.

After a couple minutes the ship slowed down. When the song ended they were passing Norrin's new home, Mars. Terri wasted no time taking pictures from every angle with her little Fugifilm camera. She informed him that it is still underway on making it a better place as soon as most of the CO is removed, and that the algae is inserted to make more oxygen.

Once they passed Mars, it was time to hit the sack. They've called home and wished them a goodnight's rest now that they're away, and Sue and the others said it back. Then Reed took two sleeping bags out of his tote, and stated that they were used for low gravity so that people can comfortably float around inside them when they rest. Next the ship shut down but it was still moving. The lights dimmed and the engines became quiet and faster.

Reed and Terri were quite curious on how Norrin slept while he was Galactus' herald. The truth is he didn't so she asked if he wants to sleep in the AstroWing. He said he would only use his board by going inside of it.

They slept until the alarm sounded at 9:00 am. A brief breakfast was made as Terri announced what was yet to come. Lucille warned her that the asteroid belt was less than a light year away and that she had made the necessary arrangements for the dangerous encounter. The shields were up, the weapons are full, and the engines were steady.

When they returned to the cockpit, Earth called and wished them good luck for their journey into outer space. When it was just Sue and Reed she told him that it's her and Johnny's mother's anniversary of her death and wished he would be there. He already made plans for this moment when he said he, Alicia, Ben, and Terri made a fresh bouquet for her as a surprise. All agog she appreciated it very much and she would call them back as soon as they go through the belt. She wished them good luck before the small screen went blank. Reed told Terri and Norrin about the call and before they knew it, they have entered the asteroid field.

Norrin materialized outside of the AstroWing and said to follow him and to never lose him in the asteroid belt. They did as Terri separated the maneuvering controls and the weaponry. Since Reed was a skilled copilot on the flight simulator, he was steering it while Terri was shooting whatever was in their way, sticking close to the Surfer as possible. Some were easy to destroy while others were more difficult and must be avoided. Sometimes they had to brake or go faster because some asteroids were in their way and bumping into each other. It was a wild roller coaster ride but they still maintained their course.

Just as they thought it was over, there was an enormous asteroid heading for them, one that it was at least a mile wide. The lasers had no effect so Terri told Reed to keep the ship steady while she aimed for the core of the rock.

She murmured, "Time for another Big Bang."

She did it as a bomb shot out of the ship's nozzle and then the asteroid made a humongous explosion spewing space dust and small debris everywhere. Just ahead, Norrin looked behind him as it blew up, wondering if the AstroWing and the others were okay. They've gained speed and approached him at the end of the field. Relieved she thought that they lost him when the asteroid headed for them. After a brief reunion they resumed their journey.

They've called Earth five minutes later and she told them the AstroWing went through the asteroid belt, and Reed's an amazing copilot. The two controls were now one and they made a little celebration as they had a hearty meal in the ship. A few hours have passed and it was time to rest once more.

Terri woke up to a thunderous sound as they loomed closer and closer. She looked around the ship as it moved slowly nearer to the noise, so close that the ship at times shook which awakened Reed. He said maybe it's the power trying to turn back on. But they immediately saw Jupiter in the distance and that sound was coming from its Great Red Spot.

As a yearning explorer, Norrin wanted to actually visit Jupiter and its Red Spot as soon as the mission is accomplished, while Terri once again got out her camera and started shooting numerous photos. It was an astounding sight. The excitement didn't stop there, however, as the AstroWing passed her favorite planet, Saturn.

In awe and all agog she shot many pictures of its fabulous rings and the planet itself. Reed informed them that the rings were made by rock, ice, dust, and other space matter. As he did, her camera zoomed in as close as it could to take images of the small chunks left from the rings. The engines of the ship sped up and hours later, they came across Uranus.

It was one of Reed's favorites because of its unique structure. Unlike Saturn it tilts and orbits on its side; they weren't sure why it came to be this way but he mentioned that while the solar system was made, a protoplanet collided with its rings.

Soon they passed Neptune and watched the planet start to churn with its fast, violent winds. By that time, Terri realized that her camera was almost full so she made a quick check to keep her best planetary images from the worst. Some of the pictures she kept was actually from the wedding and the numerous projects her office job did. Then she mentioned to Norrin that they were almost at the end of the solar system, which he already knew.

She said, "We just need to pass one more heavenly body, which was formerly the last planet, Pluto."

It was quarter to 11:00 pm as they went by the dwarf planet and as they did, she explained why it was no longer the final planet, but instead it was Neptune. She even mentioned that one time Neptune and Pluto actually switched places from each other.

They've slept until there was a strange, fuzzing noise coming from the outside of the AstroWing. Then they realized that Norrin reached his limit. Frightened, Terri ordered Lucille to stop the ship before she crashed into him. Then there was a long silence as he sadly sat down on his board.

With his voice caught in his throat, he stated it was up to them to finish the mission, head to Zenn-La, and find Shalla-Bal. While Terri was close to sobbing, she and Reed said they would make that promise and he could wait for them on Earth. When the tears fell, they said goodbye.

Reed and Terri left Norrin behind and then he began to reminisce on all the times he shared with Shalla-Bal, while they looked back at their memories they had. After that they told the team about what just happened.

While they were approaching the unknown universe, Terri had a nightmare: It took place in a dark, hot, devilish place as the AstroWing was tracking down Shalla-Bal. The heat was intense and the AstroWing was constantly attacked by hidden monsters all around. But it still looked for Shalla-Bal. She was in the cockpit with Sue, Johnny, and Ben who was human instead of in his usual rocked body. He explained that he changed due to the combinations of their powers and that Reed is outside of the ship. Then it was held down by a gravitational pull and she saw an enormous demon-like creature attacking Reed and the AstroWing.

It was losing the bout and just as the ship was going to self-destruct from a final blow, Terri woke up with short, scared breaths. Still wide awake, Reed asked if she was alright, then she explained everything. She worried that Shalla-Bal might not be at Zenn-La but rather in that horrid place. He assured her it was a dream and he was hopeful that she'll be found safe waiting for Norrin. She went back to sleep and the vessel continued on its course.

The next night Reed had one too, but it was much different. This dream took place at the center of a rounded garden. The outside was covered with exotic flowers while the middle had a brick floor. The weather was gloomy and Shalla-Bal had finished watering just as an enormous demonic creature came up from the ground. She faced him with wide eyes and pale skin. Then she got up and asked it to leave. He stood there and then she started to jump-kick him. No matter how hard she tried, she didn't hurt him. Then she attempted to punch him, but he twisted her arm and kicked her in the side twice. Next he raised her arm and she pleaded to let her go. As he did, he tripped her and she fell to the ground. He became still for a few seconds then used one of his pointy body parts and stabbed her deeply, in response she screamed in pain. Then she was held like a hostage and the creature said that her soul is his. In response she yelled for her lover's name. When he said he will be next, he was about to bite her just as Reed woke up.

Terri asked to see if he was okay, then he told her everything that's happened. Next he ordered her to set the AstroWing to travel in hyper speed, even though they were going to miss many of the heavenly bodies the Deneb universe had.

They traveled as fast as its wings could carry them and during the rush, one out of two fuel tanks was used up. Lucille gave an alarm to let her know she's used half of the oxygen, so she immediately used a refill in the empty fuel tank. When she did it was still draining quickly. She hoped that at this pace they could reach Zenn-La and back without the risk of running out of oxygen.

Meanwhile Norrin returned to Earth and told Sue and the others that the AstroWing will arrive at its destination shortly.

Back at the vessel Reed opened his eyes and saw a small light-blue orb in the distance. He woke up Terri and said that this orb could be Zenn-La. Willing to find out they slowly steered the AstroWing toward it. Just then Lucille announced that they have finally reached their destination. It was a light-blue planet with clouds circling it along with a big dusty, rocky ring in the center. Being that the inhabitants, the Zenn-Lavians, have never heard of them before, they've decided to land discreetly.

The AstroWing had no trouble when it went through the atmosphere, in fact it was much less toxic and thinner than Earth's atmosphere, though. But like their home planet the environment was lush and very fertile. Much of the vegetation was able to grow twice as much as Earth's plants. And the creatures there looked and sounded a lot different, like as if they went back in time to see the dinosaurs reincarnated.

Suddenly there was a high-pitched, screeching noise and the AstroWing took a dip. It landed on top of a thick branch in one of the enormous, thick sequoia trees.

Terri stated, "I think we're here..."

They both looked down from the cockpit and they saw that they were still high above the ground. The trees were so high, they could still see the clouds circling it. Slowly they brought the ship down on the unusually rich soil. Terri sighed with relief now that she's finally on the ground again. They exited and stretched as they took in their new surroundings.

Just then they heard guns being pointed at them and they were encircled by people in heavy artillery and air masks. One of the guys scowled, "Freeze! We have you completely surrounded!"

They stepped in closer and more of them emerged from the thickets with red beams shining at them. Then the same person said, "What have you done with the disappearance of Shalla-Bal? Answer me or we'll shoot! You have disturbed the peace of the Zenn-Lavians, surrender now!"

Terri tried to convince the footman that they have never been here. At a moment's notice, a silver-haired woman emerged and said, "You can put all that stuff away, boys. You've heard them, they've never been here before. Always causing trouble, huh, Fennan?"

She apologized and introduced herself as Elmar and so did Reed and Terri. Then she asked why they were here. They've explained that they had a mission from Norrin, her son. She told them to follow her to Shalla-Bal's place where she was last seen.

When they approached an old, big palace they met a grey-haired man who said he was Norrin's father, Jartran. He knew someone would come and look for his son's lost love. They introduced themselves as he took them to the same place she was last seen, at a circular garden.

Reed asked Terri to gather all of the memos Norrin had in the AstroWing while he investigates on her whereabouts, Elmar assisted her.

"This is the place?" he queried.

Jartan replied "Yes. This is where we found her body."

"What happened?" Reed asked.

"After he left and served Galactus, she made this garden in her despair. And then she went missing just last night. Everyone was looking for her, they think she had been abducted. There were many cases and, every time this happened, they were never seen again."

Reed asked if they had some kind of surveillance since he discovered that the planet was in high alert.

Jartran said, "They don't always have to use it to find victims. Sometimes we use premonitions."

Reed became bitter and he said it was nonsense that they could use their dreams as a guide for solving mysteries such as this. Jartran stated that they all do it, "Including our son."

Then Fennan in his uniform went to Jartran with a shiny ring, engraved on the back were the words: " I'm yours forever" in hieroglyphics.

He said to put it somewhere safe, then Jartran showed Reed the inside of the palace where Terri was packing the mementos. He introduced Jartan to Terri then they heard crying in the distance. He said it was Elmar, so he went to her. Fennan went to the two guests, introduced himself as Norrin's half-brother, and stated that he was just as worried as the others were.

A few hours went by and Fennan, Jartran, and Elmar concluded that their premonitions led them to the following places where Shalla-Bal may have disappeared to. As a footman, Fennan discovered a place that had very dense vegetation that anyone can be hidden, that it was inhabited by reptilian and amphibian-like creatures, and was ruled by a monstrous carnivore for centuries. He came to the possibility that Shalla-Bal was taken there.

Elmar stated that her premonition led her to a place where it was like Zenn-La early developed, when almost everything was covered with sharp rocks and molten lava. There was even an enormous dormant volcano at the center of the mysterious planet. Jartran described a place in which it was used for heavy artillery, weaponry, and fortitude. Not too many people were able to visit it because they would always be shot down as they even tried to approach its atmosphere.

Terri stepped in and said, "I'm sure she wasn't captured and then taken to this forbidden place in the universe."

And then she stated about her dreams before she and Reed set foot on Zenn-La. They were shocked when she was finished, and they all started chattering at once. Reed quieted them and Fennan in horror said that could be the leading possibility of Shalla-Bal's disappearance, but then he added he can still visit the other planets, though.

He wanted to send groups of his men to help them search for her. So they did while Reed and Terri stayed for a few days in the palace before they went back to Earth. Fennan, Jartran, and Elmar wished them good luck as they lifted off into the clear blue.

They made it back with no setbacks and although many thoughts raced through their minds, they barely spoke. It took almost a week until they flew back; it took almost a fortnight to get to Zenn-La and back. And they didn't hesitate to tell all the things that transpired during their short journey. Norrin was very disappointed since Shalla-Bal went missing somewhere unknown in the Deneb galaxy, and that there was no way he could reach her...unless if they did one thing.

Reed had an idea that the Aurora Borealis was coming at the Arctic Circle. He suggested that by the middle of April, they can fly into it and maybe emerge at the Deneb galaxy without detection. The team tried it a few weeks later, after Reed finally had the material he needed to make the FantastiCar bigger and better, they were on their way to reunite Norrin with his long lost loved one, Shalla-Bal.

 **A/N: Pardon me if that was a long read. Whew, that's over. And this story had so many references. I liked the song "Space Cowboy" by N'Sync and Left-Eye. RIP. I figured it'd be fitting as the AstroWing went into hyper speed; I wanted the moment to be sudden and exhilarating. The AstroWing was, of course, a homage to the Star Fox series. The dream that Reed had was based off of the scene in** _ **Mortal Kombat**_ **when Chang was killed. Lucille was like the one in the spacecraft in** _ **Red Planet**_ **. And this is a foreshadowing to the infamous NES game,** _ **The Silver Surfer**_ **. Instead of going to many planets for Galactus' parts, they visit them to look for Shala-Bal instead. I know that Norrin couldn't leave Earth with his board, but I figured not leaving the galaxy would be more fair.**

 **Like I said, this is an old fic. And I thank Cerb for re-uploading this. The next part will be up shortly. So until next time, everyone.**


	2. Chapter 2

It was a cold April afternoon and Terri and John were sitting on a bench in Central Park. He said that Reed wanted him to stay at the Baxter Building with Alicia and Frankie while the Fantastic Four lift off through the Aurora Borealis. It was unlikely since he did so much for the team. They walked to the Building and then kissed before they went to Reed's laboratory.

In the FantastiCar, the team went through the Aurora at the Arctic Circle while Terri followed with the AstroWing. Norrin was right behind them and after they left Earth's atmosphere, they saw a huge mother ship. Fennan sent many of the military off from Zenn-la so he and his troops would assist the team during their search for Shalla-Bal. They were in awe as they approached the vessel, which could hold up to a crew of a hundred people. It also has fuel tanks that could last for thousands of light years.

Johnny, trying to be humorous, said, "This place is a bigger showoff than the Von Doom Space Station."

Terri immediately explained, "Well at least it's just as durable. This mother ship was made from the finest resources of what Zenn-la has to offer. The people have worked really hard to make this ship."

Before they knew it, they were there. The FantastiCar entered through a slot underneath the ship followed by the AstroWing and Norrin. They parked, the slot closed, and Fennan welcomed them. Next he and Norrin reunited like they were lost brothers. He introduced himself to Sue, Johnny, and Ben as the group walked to the enormous cockpit.

It was ten times bigger than Reed's lab. Fennan showed them a brief tour and then a skinny figure in uniform showed up. In a perky voice he introduced himself as Trake, Fennan's first commander of the Zenn-la forces. He was very fond of Reed when he was introduced as the right-hand man for the mission.

When the tour ended, Fennan offered the team to make themselves at home before they reach their first destination, the planet Reptilyx.

Each member used a separate room to settle and store their belongings. Reed and Sue, however, shared one as a request from Fennan.

A few hours have passed and Trake announced that they've reached their arrival. In the cockpit, the team saw a small green planet with dark green patches which are tense vegetation according to Trake.

Fennan warned "This location is inhabited by very ferocious creatures. I want you all to be very careful while you search for Shalla-Bal."

Then Johnny added, "Let's hope we won't become victims of a feeding frenzy," as he laughed. He received dirty looks by everyone and then he became somber.

Fennan stated that he has their permission for takeoff, then Reed suggested that Terri should leave with the AstroWing along with Norrin and any member of the group. She said she'll send a member of the team later whenever she needs help during the expedition. The crew said good luck and they were off to Reptilyx.

After they entered the atmosphere, Terri ordered Lucille to open the wings then check the shields to the AstroWing. Then she and Norrin saw what looked like a small gray military vessel. He nodded to Terri to proceed and she said, "All systems are a go. Let's rock and roll!"

They descended on a body of water and a small school of flying fish attacked them. Some were underwater while others broke the surface.

"Terri! Get back!" Fennan said over the speaker, to make sure she stayed close to Norrin as they arrived at the military vessel.

A lot of reptilian-like creatures attempted to shoot the travelers, but they used a volley of lasers and energy blasts to make a clear path. Soon they left and came across two wooden bridges which were accompanied by a few mutant-sized frogs.

One landed on the AstroWing but it shook it off. Then there was a humongous school of flying fish attacking. After a tough, long shootout they approached a gigantic cannon which fired on the AstroWing and Norrin.

Terri arrived and shot a bomb inside the cannon and in a few seconds flat, it exploded along with the lizard shooter and the ship he was standing on. They resumed their course and Fennan told them they were approaching an area with dense vegetation, he suggested to fly overhead and Terri said it was a good idea so they can find Shalla-Bal easier.

They did after they dealt with another school of flying fish. They flew over some trees as Lucille was scanning for Norrin's lost loved one. Suddenly the trees started to shake violently. There were numerous birds fighting them. Some were flocks of archaeopteryx, others were gigantic pterasaurs. In addition, there were many tanks and cannons firing from below.

Next they came to a big desert and an enormous block kept shooting at them with a variety of lasers. Terri had no effect on it as she kept firing at it until she used another bomb to destroy it. The block was still standing and ready to blow as Norrin used an energy blast and Terri's telekinesis. As if it wouldn't take anymore, the block bounced backward and then incinerated.

Fennan said, "The vegetation shouldn't be so dense now. Head for the jungle and search for Shalla-Bal there."

The speakers shut off and then it was off to the ancient ruins of Reptilyx.

Sure enough they were at a moist, hot jungle with not a lot of vegetation as the last section. Fennan was right, they can fly through the jungle with ease. It was like a noisy rain forest as they encountered more flocks of archaeopteryx and some venomous bats. There were some reptilian forces similar to the ones they dealt with earlier and there were so many annoying primates. They swung from one tree to the other and, out of nowhere, one landed on top of the AstroWing.

"Stay away from me, you barbaric baboons!" cried Terri.

She shook and shot off each one. By then her shield gauge indicated it was half empty, but luckily Norrin was there to refill whenever she needed it. He assured her that he can take care of himself against enemy attack; he hasn't fallen off his board yet.

They were passing the ancient ruins when they heard a thunderous noise. At times the ground shook and after a while, they were heading to a clearing when they saw an astonishing sight.

"Holy smokes! Look at this!" Terri exclaimed as she took photographs of an enormous dinosaur footprint. "This track must be close to six feet deep! If there is living proof in which dinosaurs have existed, there it is," she said to Reed at the helm of the mother ship.

Fennan then responded, "There has been no sign of Shalla-Bal anywhere on this planet, regretfully. Return to base, the scanning's complete."

Just then they heard trees toppling over and the sound loomed closer and closer. She and Norrin stopped to see what was causing all that ruckus.

They saw a green 50-foot T-Rex roaming around. Terri said in a startled voice not to move as the T-Rex could see them when in motion. Soon it came close to the AstroWing and then it let out a piercing roar. Terri covered her ears and she saw that it's teeth were like gigantic knives, almost 50 inches long. It looked closely inside and then it tried to swap at it like as if the ship was a fly.

The T-Rex, Reptyle, missed and she declared, "If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get!"

Norrin and Terri made a break for it, then Reptyle gave chase. Lucille, at Terri's order, initiated the ship for all-range mode instead of just going one way. The wings extended and the vessel went faster and more agile.

"Bogey on my tail. Ben, I need your help to shake him off!" Terri said.

Fennan replied that he's on his way.

Reptyle tried to bite the AstroWing but it sped up, turned, and started shooting a volley of lasers; it nearly affected it though. Then the T-Rex was slapped in the face and started to chase Norrin. This was her moment to fly away and search for Ben, but he never showed up.

Suddenly, Reptyle opened its mouth and an energy beam shot out toward the AstroWing.

Terri avoided and said, "Whoa! Even its breath is a weapon!"

The vessel made a half-loop U-turn as she tried to shoot at Reptyle again. It chased her with fury. The AstroWing took damage and started to slow down, then Ben grabbed the T-Rex's tail and let out a high-pitch scream. It tried relentlessly to shake him off and then Terri went around and headed for the "bad boy."

"What are you doing?" Ben asked.

"I have an idea," Terri responded.

The T-Rex opened its mouth and immediately closed it, then swallowed what was in its mouth. The AstroWing descended and opened the hatch.

"Quick, Ben! Get in!" Terri commanded.

He immediately stepped in and off they went with the Surfer behind them. Reptyle looked up and realized what was inside was a bomb Terri shot. In agony, it let out a menacing roar then its body exploded. Norrin and the AstroWing stopped and looked at the damage being done. They were in awe and then the clearing was covered by ants, actually it was the entire mod squad checking the mess.

"Maybe we should leave," Terri said.

In response, Ben said it was a good idea.

The gang left Reptilyx and returned to the mother ship through the under slot. She parked and went to the cockpit along with Ben and Norrin beside her. They walked to the main room where Fennan, Trake, and the others welcomed them with glee.

Johnny chimed in "That was one cool stunt you pulled!"

Terri thanked him for the compliment.

Fennan sighed, "Well, looks like Reptilyx didn't have her, but don't get discouraged," he said to Norrin. "Our next assignment is this heading," he said showing a red planet. "This is the place where Elmar had her premonition...I hope Mom's right."

Because of the environment, Terri requested that Johnny should go; however, she was uncertain whether or not her AstroWing could take the heat for the second mission.

 **A/N: This was a lot easier to work on. So the first planet, Reptilyx was the name I made up, was the first destination. Reptyle was a mash-up from the T-Rex in** _ **Jurassic Park**_ **, and Oosaru from** _ **DBZ**_ **. Though it's name was Reptyle in the game. I wanted to make the story similar to both the game and Star Fox; if it was made in 3D, it could be a hit! The block machine was similar to the annoying enemies from** _ **Code Lyoko**_ **, and I tried to make the sections similar like the ones in the Silver Surfer game. And Trake was a military OC; the name I wanted to make more unique to Drake and Jake, but I figured the T would be stronger.**

 **Again, thank you Cerb for re-uploading this. And I hope I'll get the next chapter done soon. Also, the music is like the only redeeming factor to the game, as it's repetitive but very catchy. Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

Five days have passed when the group reached their destination, Xandar. It was blood-red like Mars, but this one was all covered with molten lava and sharp, rocky landscapes.

"Just like in the vision..." Fennan said referring to Elmar's premonition.

Terri has decided that Johnny should go with Norrin since they can both take the heat, but she on the other hand was uncertain. "You guys can go if you want to, but I'm gonna skip this one out."

Trake looked up with a puzzled face. He asked, "Why don't you want to go?"

She replied that the AstroWing might not be suitable searching for Shalla-Bal in dry heat. She went to Reed, who was at the controls with Fennan, Sue and Ben. She repeated what she said then he confidently stated that he has installed air conditioning from the coldest areas in space.

"I see no problem with it, just as long as it stays cool."

Terri nodded and thanked him, then she was off to the cockpit.

"Another world awaits.." Norrin said as she and Johnny climbed in.

The crew wished the trio good luck and then they entered the red planet. After they went through Xandar's atmosphere, Terri stopped and asked Johnny, "Think you can handle this by yourself?"

He responded, "Of course, you know me. I can take on anything."

"Okay, let's get started," Terri said.

She opened the hatch and he jumped out turning himself into a human flame. It resumed its course with Norrin close by. Fennan was right; there was a lot of lava and rocky terrain everywhere they looked. Terri let Norrin and Johnny take the lead as they took down anything that stood in their way. Creatures kept peeking and shooting from the ragged cliffs, some fought in large groups as they closed in.

"Watch out! Some of these guys would be appearing from the lava, even they're not scared on taking the heat," Terri warned.

She made a dirty look as she saw Johnny engulfed in flame playing in the lava; although she was surprised that it didn't bother him at all.

More enemies emerged from the lava and some of them ducked, reloaded, and shot again. As soon as the crew came to a section where there was almost nothing but lava, they saw a tall, skinny volcano connected to a narrow cave.

Terri asked, "What do ya think? You think Elmar's right about her being in this hot place?"

Determined as ever, Norrin proceeded to it.

She got a call from Fennan, "That area's an oven. Don't go burning that AstroWing. Be reasonable, Terri."

"Don't worry, cadet. I'll be careful," she responded.

She thought out loud that the cave is so narrow that she and the others would have to stay in single file. She drew forward behind Norrin, then Johnny trailed behind her.

"I got your back," he said.

They went and Terri complained when the air conditioner would turn on. As if on command, Lucille activated it and she felt immediate relief.

Sure enough they made their way through narrow paths in the cave. There were a few basins of lava where enemies tend to splash out and attack; the rest were in sharp, ragged flooring. Some bogies approached from behind where Johnny used his flames to destroy them. At times the small group felt earthquakes and a few loose stalactites fell. They slowed to a crawl so they wouldn't be clobbered. She had to give a signal so Johnny wouldn't burn the tail off. Most of them were shot to make them fall without any risk. The Surfer, the AstroWing, and Johnny sped up as they entered a wider area of the cave where they roamed more easily.

In the distance, they heard a roar similar to an enormous dragon. Then they felt more quakes and fireballs were thrown toward them.

"Allow me," exclaimed Johnny as he went ahead and pushed the embers aside with ease.

The team wandered to a path leading upwards where the volcano stood. They saw an enormous pool of lava and suddenly it started to ripple. The ground shook then lava began to tower over them. When it came down, they saw what looked like a human sphinx. It was indeed Pyreus Kril himself.

Reed announced over the speakers that the analysis was complete and the enemy goes by the name of Firelord. It refused to let them pass. It groaned and swiped at the AstroWing like a fly. The wings were burning so she made a few barrel rolls to put them out. The team took turns attacking it, but nothing affected it. Johnny did most of the dirty work as he kept lunging toward it and releasing embers.

"It appears we're at a standoff," Terri concluded.

Then Johnny thought about turning into a supernova. As if she read his mind, she immediately said it won't do any good since the enemy is immune to their attacks. Finally the AstroWing set off an alarm to ensure that it can't take many more blows.

Suddenly she had an idea. She opened a big unit of the controllers and saw a lot of wires intertwined with each other. She followed the wires until she found one leading to the lasers and another from the newly installed air conditioner.

Johnny looked at Terri while Norrin kept fighting Firelord and said in a panic, "Terri! What are you doing?!"

She connected the two together, looked up, and said, "It's a risk I'm willing to take!"

She closed the unit, aimed directly at the enemy and pounded and held on a big button. Just then, an ice beam shot out from the ship and Firelord started to get weaker. It moaned in agony and the entire place began to freeze. Johnny hurriedly took cover under the AstroWing so he won't get hit.

Terri held onto the button with all her might and in the process used her telekinesis to make the onslaught more powerful. Five minutes later, everything grew silent. The team saw everything, except the lava, encased in ice. Then the frozen Firelord rocked and fell back into pieces.

"Oh my god," Johnny whispered.

Terri in the cockpit breathed heavily and then collapsed on the controllers.

Johnny and Norrin heard the thud coming from inside the AstroWing and looked to see what happened. They saw Terri lying face down on the motherboard. Johnny tried to open the ship until he found a button that allowed him access.

"Terri! Terri!" He yelled as he tried to wake her up.

She was the unlucky one since he's used to the heat thanks to his powers, and it wasn't a problem for Norrin because he had the board to protect him. Again Johnny shook her and called her name but it was no use, then he heard an alarm go off. Lucille gave a warning that it can't hold up in the intense heat, even though everything was frozen. Frantically, Johnny tumbled into the cockpit, carried Terri to the copilot seat, fastened their belts, and attempted to fly the ship out of the volcano..

Suddenly it was going down into the lava, but thanks to Norrin, he was able to leave the fervid place and head back to the mother ship.

Terri began to stir as Johnny kept calling her name. He was sitting on her bed along with Reed, Ben, Fennan, and Norrin close to his side. In a weak voice she wondered where she was and when she realized it, she started to panic.

"What happened to the ship? Where's the AstroWing?!" she cried.

Reed calmed her down and assured her that it was safe. Relieved, she took deep breaths, grabbed the glass of ice water from Fennan, and drank it quickly. She coughed then Reed used a thermometer on her forehead. She had a temperature of 101, but fortunately it was going down. He told the others to scoot as he gave her more water. He suggested she should rest and drink more so everyone would finish the mission in one piece.

Terri realized that Shalla-Bal was not yet found. As she laid down, she made a confession. "Do you remember when we first defeated Victor a few years ago, when he was super heated then immediately became frozen? Chemistry lesson 101 I think it is?"

Reed nodded and she explained. "With that in mind...I had no choice because we were at a standoff. I figured the only way to wipe out the Firelord is to use an opposing element. It was a risk I was willing to take."

"I understand. The AstroWing's outer haul was burnt but the rest of it is okay."

Then she remembered Sue didn't show up. She asked and he said that she left along with the overnight crew; they went to a rest stop which is almost twenty light years away. Terri felt worried at the thought then Reed reassured that as long as they're not in another planet, there will be no trouble. He also told her that the mother ship will go into hyper sleep, meaning the air pressure would turn on and then it will be on auto-pilot to save energy, almost like being in a jet. After six glasses she slept, then Reed made his way to the cockpit.

Fennan already taught Reed how to set up the auto-pilot and activate the air pressure. Norrin's half-brother asked if he could sleep inside the ship for a change then Johnny chimed in, "I just hope you make it before you dose off. See ya, guys."

He and the others left Reed working at the controls. He twisted a knob and then a hissing sound was heard. The air was on. The next destination was a rest stop to refuel and restock on supplies for the remainder of the mission. He looked at a wedding portrait of him and Sue before his eyes became heavy. Then he rested on the dashboard as the others settled. The ship, without a pilot, was on its way to its next destination.

 **A/N: The Firelord was definitely one of the most hardest bosses, and levels in the game. However, it's not the most difficult. I figured Terri would stand a chance if she used her cooling tanks to get rid of him; better than lasers, especially since Norrin could take only one hit! Lousy developers, this ain't Donkey Kong Country, or even Gradius! Anyway, the next chapter should be here shortly.**


	4. Chapter 4

Several light years away, a small vessel carrying Sue and the overnight crew was on its way to the rest stop. There was anger, fear, and a little comfort as she wondered if she was going to be okay without the team. She hoped for the same for Terri. One of the troops came in and saw agony on her face. He rested his hand on her shoulder and said they'll be fine. He turned off the lights and closed the door as she slept in her cot. It was small, but comfortable.

After a while she woke up to a high-pitched noise and then a roaring sound looming closer to her. Thinking she was still at the mothership, she kept calling for Reed and searched through the room. He wasn't there, then she saw dark matter coming from underneath the door. She stood guard as it was forming into a standing figure.

She made a force field to protect herself and it somehow broke as the dark matter grabbed her tightly. She struggled to break free, but it was useless. She saw the door open slowly and then a white light illuminated the hall as the same person who calmed her walked through, along with the rest of the crew and a strange, old man with long, thick white hair. Her eyes began to glow red as he stood in front of her and said hypnotically, "We have come to take you in, Susan Storm."

She became pale then her body was shaking. The man, Possessor, grabbed her shoulders as she looked into his eyes. She closed them, she didn't want to be next. Then the dark matter went inside her. She started to panic as it forced her to open them. When they did, the man flashed his eyes at her. She screamed Reed's name, and then he woke up with a jolt and a cold, shaky body.

Everything was quiet and still, except for his heartbeat. He looked around then turned off the air pressure. Everything was alive again. He took a deep breath and heard Terri stepping into the cockpit. She walked to him and asked if there was anything she could help him with.

He replied, "No...no, let's help all of us." They trotted to a radio, he pressed a button, and he cried, "Red alert! Everyone wake up! Hurry!"

The whole mothership flashed red and everyone came running to the cockpit. Fennan asked "What is it, Reed? Why...is there something wrong?"

Reed told everyone that Sue is in trouble, he could feel it. He regretted leaving her. He ordered Terri and Norrin to head for the rest stop while the others follow close behind. It was a light year away. That made Johnny uneasy because he was desperate on going in the AstroWing and save her sister. She got into the AstroWing and then she and Norrin went to their destination, even though, on all of their minds, it could be a trap.

Meanwhile, not too far from the mothership, the overnight crew were finishing their installments inside the rest stop. Telepath she was, Possessor could hear the leader bow and say, "Your plan is working. Our traps are ready for the intruders, it is now up to you to decide their fate."

He looked toward Sue who awakened abruptly, as if she took a jolt. Then her eyes glowed. They were ready for action.

Terri, also a telepath, sensed something awry. She felt a chill and told everyone what she was feeling. Fennan warned them that the troops have to be hiding somewhere in the base. They took it into account as they trekked toward an ambush of a small, fast fleet. "He's quick, be careful," he said as she fought through it.

"We're getting close to the base," she replied.

They came to an enormous base that looked deserted and destroyed for quite some time. When she and Norrin entered it slowly, they saw and recognized many of the weaponry installed from the overnight crew. Terri was amazed how quickly they made them. A few more of the fast-acting fleets attacked the two explorers along with the weaponry found at the floors and ceilings. After they went through a small melee, they came across a lot of ancient statues along with other artifacts. Some were sitting on pedestals with their bodies held close like a fetal position.

Terri muttered, "Wow. I didn't know she was a big intergalactic collector."

As if on cue, the still-lives became active. One jumped from its board and attacked the AstroWing. She shook it off with a few barrel rolls as others began to close in. One by one they went down and the vessel and Norrin suffered numerous blows. Fortunately it took a second for them to recover.

"I owe you for this," Terri responded.

They came to a huge door shortly after the sudden ambush. It opened and the ship shook as the controllers suddenly went berserk! Someone was taking over the AstroWing from the outside as Terri panicked and asked what was going on. With the system compromised, she was sent forward fast. Norrin gave chase and the mothership followed.

According to Reed, Terri seemed to have been seized by a tractor beam or perhaps someone else who had telekinesis. Maybe it was Sue, but it certainly wasn't the crew's doing.

Out of control, she came to a halt outside of the base. The attack was still active since she can't regain manual control. Everyone looked in awe as the overnight crew were floating in front of them. The head of the gang rose his head, flashed his eyes, and said, "You're time has come. The end of your endeavors start here."

The group turned and bowed down to Possessor as he approached. "We have come, Master Kamo," they said in unison.

The other guys were taken back, realizing it was none other than Kamo Tharrne, a librarian who turned crazy with all the vast knowledge he wielded; little did they know someone entered the mothership. At the end of the chute where the vessels enter, Trake woke up when it started to open. He immediately looked inside, gun drawn, but no one was there. "Excuse me, how did you get in without a ship? Halt, show yourself!" he cried.

Trake was attacked from behind by a force field, and as Sue became visible, he was pushed back and then crashed to the end of the chute.

Fennan yelled, "Trake! No..." as he charged to her, then his head hit a force field and fell unconsciously to the ground.

She headed to the cockpit in a trance. When she got there with glowing eyes, Johnny was trying to warn Reed but it was too late. She got him in a strangle hold. He escaped when he tripped her.

"Calm down, Sue. Look, I'm not gonna hurt you," he said.

But she kept fighting with every tooth and nail. Ben and Johnny looked outside and he volunteered to step out while Ben takes care of business. In an inflammable spacesuit, he charged to Possessor and the small army were fixed on him. They were just about to make their move until they were captured by an energy field. The day crew brought them to the little ship they were using.

Possessor asked what the guy in the suit was. He said, "Nobody messes with my sister, but me. Flame on!" Then his whole body engulfed in a fiery body.

He kept attacking him along with Norrin. As they held him back, Terri wasted no time to retreat to the mothership. Ben was holding Sue as she struggled to break free while Reed was firing at Possessor using the controllers. Then Johnny had an idea to become supernova. He gathered energy and encased him in a big ring while Norrin kept it steady. Terri came and Sue escaped from Ben's grip. Then it turned into a tug-of-war of telekinetic energy. Reed extended and held Sue while Ben kept Terri back. With an idea in mind he let her go and tackled Sue to the floor. There was a mini catfight, then she slapped her square in the face.

Sue laid still and Terri watched for any movement. She screeched and was hit again. She told Ben to get the big mirror from Sue's room. Reed watched in horror as Terri held Sue down. "Look at yourself and smile to me," she repeatedly ordered. Sue did as Ben held the mirror over her.

The reflection banged against it when Terri took it outside while wearing her spacesuit and dropped it at a nearby space rock. When it smashed into pieces, Possessor became weaker and a bomb shot out. He exploded then Reed caught Sue in his arms. She looked into his eyes one minute and the next she fell into a coma. Terri, Johnny, and Norrin came in and she said to Reed, "You did it. You destroyed him!"

He responded sarcastically, "Yeah, and destroyed Sue too." They became speechless as he continued his tirade over Johnny being foolish defeating Possessor. Terri tried to defend him but he never budged. He took Sue to the room they shared and covered her in blankets. He shut the door and everything went quiet as he watched her constantly, expecting to come around.

Fennan and Trake entered, moaning from the pain and asked what they missed. Everyone chimed in as they waited for Reed and Sue to return to them.

The mothership was being refueled and reloaded so it can carry on the next mission. The day crew just started their shift and Reed was still a constant visual over Sue. Fennan and Trake decided they should become more careful both in and outside every planet they go to until Shalla-Bal is found. Soon enough it was off to the next course.

 **A/N: Whew, that was a long one. I hope I at least got some of the details right from Possessor's level. Oh yeah, the scene in which Terri trapped Sue in a mirror then breaking it was inspired from one of my favorite movies, Constantine. The next chapter should be up soon.**


	5. Chapter 5

A few hours have passed and Reed woke up when Sue squeezed his hand. She opened her eyes, and he kissed her forehead as he said," I knew you'd come back."

Outside the room, Terri mumbled as she opened the door that she's going to look, whether or not Sue is still comatose. She was just sitting up when Terri entered slowly, then she cried, "Sue! You're awake! Guys, come here and look at this!"

Sue grinned as Terri knelt by her bed and apologized of what transpired. Johnny entered first in glee and said, "It's about time you came back to Earth."

Sue responded, "We're not actually on Earth, yet."

Then Ben, Norrin, Trake, and Fennan came and greeted her. "It's about time you awoke. Man, I was worried," Fennan stated as he hugged her.

Then Terri asked if she remembers anything. Sue only recalled the dark matter entering her, seeing the horrible red eyes, then losing consciousness after she met Possessor. No matter what happned, they were all grateful that Sue's back in the game.

The mothership came to a planet that was gray and, according to Fennan, polluted. It was so infertile, and the air was like toxic. It contained methane, carbon monoxide, and sulphur. Reed suggested that everyone should go together, even the ship. He'll take the FantastiCar while Terri and Norrin will follow. They did after they entered the heavy, thick atmosphere. It was identified as Skrullros.

Everywhere they looked they saw machine guns shooting at them. The mothership, too, was attacking, it was like a war zone. Then after what seemed like forever, they came to a fortress that was so high, the tower went through the gas clouds. The analysis shown that 78% of the inhabitants are just machines and weaponry. Norrin's board, the AstroWing, and the FantastiCar landed while Fennan and the others kept tower clear from enemy assault.

The code was encrypted and had to be entered in order for the doors to open. No matter, Ben took the opportunity to bash through them. The team entered and he became curious as to what the fortress would bring since there weren't many human-like inhabitants. The answer came when they heard a clang behind them and they were trapped as a huge wall from the ground shut them in.

As they trailed on, swords and arrows shot out from the walls. They hesitated but Sue made a protective energy field to deflect them. She said, "See, you couldn't have survived without me. Besides I can go under the radar if it has any."

"Yeah, and I can feel what's coming," Terri added.

Suddenly they heard a roar and a wall of fire came toward them. The Storm siblings took guard as they tried to keep it back. Then he said he can take the heat by himself as he persuaded them to move. They ran just as Sue was trapped in a net from the floor. It was heading up through the celling just as Reed stretched to get her free, but because of the incoming firewall, he let it loose. They ran and tripped as they saw fire hoses coming from the walls.

Ben exclaimed, "This place must be booby-trapped!"

They continued and jumped through an opening, which immediately closed as everyone, except Johnny and Norrin, made it through. Out of breath, they looked around where they found gold and jewels. In the center there was an opening through the ceiling where Sue was captured and a green gargoyle descended from a motorized highchair.

Outside Fennan and Trake were pointing out orders as the day crew who were shooting the fortress. Unfortunately, it was protected by an energy field. The mothership overhead tried shooting from above, but with no luck.

"There has to be a way to disable the force field somehow," Trake said.

Back trapped inside, the gargoyle called himself Emperor and wouldn't let go of their friend at any cost. They took turns attacking: Terri went first with her telekinesis but he deflected it and sent her flying back. Ben charged at him and he did the same. Reed attempted to rescue Sue but he became severely electrocuted. Emperor stood over him and just as he was about to finish him, Norrin materialized from outside the trapdoor and caught his arm. "You sly devil," he muttered.

Then he was pushed back and the net fell to the floor. It opened and Sue came out to help Reed. The others stood up and he said the controls need to be altered to disable the traps. Ben came right to it as he played around with the buttons and levers. Finally the force field disintegrated and the firewall shut down. The mothership was destroying the tower and it started to collapse. The trapdoor opened and the team escaped.

They saw three tunnels leading out. Reed and Sue took the left tunnel, Ben and Johnny went straight, and Norrin carried Terri through the right. Everywhere the fortress closed in on them and Fennan ordered the cavalry to fall back as they watched the fortress come down in a heap. Terri and Norrin quickly came to them.

When the smoke cleared, Terri and Fennan frantically looked for the others. She kept calling their names as the ruined fortress was still dropping. They saw a hand coming through the rubble. Then Reed came out and they removed it to save Sue. She coughed as she stepped out from the heavy debris. Ben pushed through the pile of rubble and said he wasn't hurt after the demolition.

Next they pitched in remove the mess and found Johnny lifeless. In shock, they pulled him out and Terri volunteered to use mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Reed told Fennan to get some water, when he came back he tried to make Johnny drink it. Just then he began to cough and sputter as he tried to breathe once more. He opened his eyes, as Sue constantly assured him that he was going to be all right.

He kept saying he'll be fine as he was carried back to the FantastiCar. Everyone cheered for them as they made it back to the mothership. Meanwhile, Trake looked at the scanners and found no trace of Emperor or Shalla-Bal. Norrin became depressed as he slowly walked away with a knot in his throat. Terri assured him that she will be found but he didn't budge. The ship left the gray planet as they wound up back where they started.

 **A/N: Actually, the Emperor is known as Kylor. But in the game he's called Emperor, which is weird cause he's actually the governor of the Skrulls. Again, I tried to make the chapter similar to the planet in the game. Unfortunately, Shalla-Bal hasn't been found which means she could only be at the worst place in the galaxy, Mephisto's turf. I've always hated that horrid place all the same. It'll be featured in the next chapter, so sit tight.**


	6. Chapter 6

It was during the wee hours. Terri woke up with a chill, meaning that something was wrong. She realized that Norrin was missing. She frantically searched the entire ship and kept calling his name, but with no results. She saw the night crew and alerted them that he ran away. The head of the group told her that they are arriving at a new destination which was five light years away, he was certain that Norrin would be there looking for Shalla-Bal.

Just then Trake, Fennan, and the rest of the gang stepped into the cockpit. Sue asked Terri what she said was true. Fennan replied that Norrin was so desperate, he left to pursue Shalla-Bal alone. The mothership went into light speed and arrived at their new location in less than 30 minutes.

It was a dark, blood red planet that looked like it was dying as they saw explosions coming from the surface. Telepath as she was, Terri held her head as she told the team that she kept hearing screams of brutal agony. The strangest thing was that the planet was dying, but yet it remained still. It was as if it was destroying itself repeatedly. "Norrin has to be at that horrible place and I think Shalla-Bal is there, too," Terri said. Determined about his welfare, she said, "Let's do it!"

They've trusted their instincts and Reed and the foursome ran to the AstroWing. They couldn't use the FantastiCar because the planet's condition was too intense.

Terri whispered to Reed, "I think this is the place where we had those dreams. Unlike Fennan's, Elmar's, and Jartran's, this could be the one."

He nodded and the AstroWing headed to the perishing planet with the mothership close behind.

It was like flying through Jupiter's Great Red Spot as the vessel entered the atmosphere and then it felt a strong pull dragging the guys inside. She lost control for a few seconds and they saw demon-like creatures emerge from the ground and nearby tunnels. Johnny wanted to take the fight outside as he engulfed himself into a flame when he jumped out.

At the mothership Fennan ordered, "We're under attack, fire at will."

The AstroWing traveled slowly as it shot at the attackers with their piercing eyes, fierce teeth, and razor-sharp claws, but not all of them went down. Their speed was incredible and at times they adapted to the weapons. One of them jumped onto the fighter jet and Terri told her passengers to hold on as she knocked them off with a few rolls.

Johnny had some difficulty too as he became more and more exhausted from fighting the menacing creatures. They were fast, but also strong.

When the AstroWing passed below some of the little caverns, it was held down by a powerful gravitational force. She tried to hold it up with her force fields but it was almost no use. Just as they couldn't take the pressure, Terri was able to control it again but this time it was Norrin who saved it. He lifted the AstroWing as they encountered more pressure, even the mothership which was only miles away.

Soon the ship stopped safely as the guys talked to him of his whereabouts. He explained that Shalla-Bal must be imprisoned somewhere in this planet, he could somehow feel it that she's in desperate need of rescue and that she's expecting him to come. He insisted that he should lead while the others follow, but before they make their move, he had an idea. He wanted someone to merge their powers into one like they did last time.

Johnny refused, "Oh, no! I'm not going down that road again! Surely its dangerous, but do you have any brighter ideas?"

Then Reed stood up and said he'll go this time. He's confident that he'll use their powers wisely. With that said, Norrin went through the entrance and made Reed very flimsy. He became light-headed and his breathing became shallow. Later when Norrin was done, he fell to his knees and breathed heavily. When his head cleared, they put their hands in and Reed touched them. He felt a jolt run through his arm then he took it off and felt like he was invincible.

Ben and the others looked and felt different as they realized their powers were gone. Reed decided to lead the way with Norrin and off they went. Shortly they met more of the creatures and Reed realized that he was stronger and faster with his new abilities.

Just as they were in the clear, they felt an even more powerful pull, but this time it was crashing into the obstacles ahead on the ground. They heard a maniacal laugh and saw a big devil in front of them. Terri and Reed recognized him from the dreams they had before they went to Zenn-la. He said in an evil tone, "You've made it this far, but you'll never be able to pass me. You've come to the right place, and it will be your final resting place as it was Shalla's."

In response, the Surfer's expressions went grim and he asked in a weak voice, "What did you say?"

"I know you. You're Norrin Radd, a herald who disobeyed Galactus. You went into exile and so you were unable to see your loved one again. Becasue of you, she belongs to me."

In disbelief he told him that he could still feel her presence, alive and well, until he saves her.

"You've come too late! She belongs to me!"

Norrin lunged toward the demon, but he fought back with a punch. Holding his arm, he tried again but with Reed by his side and the AstroWing shooting him. It was as if they were having no effect on him. The vessel took severe damage and the duo were getting more weary every minute.

They stopped and Terri requested to head back to the mothership, since it can't take much more abuse. Just as she was about to give up, the demon swiped at it like a fly, that was enough to let it shut down. Norrin and Reed watched helplessly as it crashed and burned to nowhere. In shock and fear, Fennan and his crew observed everything that transpired.

"We're dead meat, that was Mephisto they just dealt with. We can't give up, we must save Shalla-Bal. Trake, it's now up to us. We must take the fight to them," Fennan said. "There may not be a winning chance, but I can tell you this. As long as there is a single breath in Norrin's body, he will not give up...and neither can we," he added as he and everyone else pitched in to save Shalla-Bal and fight whatever's in their reach.

Hidden somewhere, the AstroWing crash-landed in a heap. A few hours have passed before Terri regained consciousness and used her hand to lift up the rubble. She found Sue who didn't wake up yet. She called her name but there wasn't any luck. Then she cried out wondering if there was anyone left to help her. Fortunately, Johnny responded and even though she liked him the least, she was glad to see him. She told him that his sister's still out of commission.

Then they heard a moan coming from the wreckage. It was Ben, still in his human form. They assisted and asked him if he was okay. He was "a little dizzy, but intact." Relieved and thankful, they wondered how they're going to fix the AstroWing and stop that demon.

"It was Mephisto. I heard his name a couple times while I was out," Terri said.

Never the worrier, Johnny responded, "Whoever he is, that demon is one serious fighter to beat."

"We've got to do something, guys. We won't survive another minute from him," Terri said. "I have an idea. We stay and repair the ship, or at least try to, while one of us searches for Shalla-Bal."

Ben chimed, "Yeah, we have those buttons on our uniforms where the emblem is. Reed, just installed them just before we came here."

Terri in horror concluded, "You're leaving me, by myself?"

"You'll be fine, we're here," Johnny answered.

She sighed and said, "All right, one of us should keep an eye on Sue just in case." Ben made a small utility belt for Terri to use, consisting some tools, a flashlight, even a Taser. "You certainly are a handyman, Ben," she bragged.

"If you need us just hit the button, but press and hold to talk to us," he explained. The duo wished her luck as she searched for Shalla-Bal alone, or worse find herself in Mephisto's shadow.

Meanwhile at topside, Reed and Norrin trekked on. At times they got into a debate.

"We should check on Sue and the others." Reed said but Norrin refused. The longer they wait, the less chances that Shalla-Bal may still be alive. Reed tried using the alarm, but the signal went blank. He sighed and hoped they'll be okay. They saw a bunch of corpses moaning and they split up as they went through passages with flames thrown at them. Shortly they went on together.

Terri at times called Shalla's name to see if she's nearby. With a flashlight in one hand and the Taser in the other, she wandered while avoiding burning coal. She stepped on a small pile of broken glass and saw a torn vent. She went on all fours, struggled to take off the cover, and shined her flashlight inside of it. She removed a big cube blocking the vent and smelt something that was rotting like a corpse. She yelped when she saw it in the corner. Her heart quickened as she went out and pressed on.

"Did you find her yet?" Ben asked over the alarm. Terri pressed the button, and said there was no luck, but she did see a lot of corpses and the place was giving her the jitters.

She ventured to what seemed to be a hallway with a series of doors. She felt her way, tapping on all of the walls for some kind of secret passage. She tried the first door and went down the stairwell to a dark room. She heard moaning and there were zombies coming from the wall. She called for Shalla-Bal but there was no answer. She remembered Norrin's words: that it almost looks like Sue since at the Russian prison that she reminds him of his lost love.

Terri turned back and stepped on a stick which broke and woke up some of the zombies. They groaned louder and she tried to break from the walls. Frightened, she grabbed her Taser and shocked one. A cracking sound came as she made contact. She ran and shut the door behind her.

Breathless, she tried the second one at the right. She came to another stairwell and walked on wood. In some spots the flooring was flimsy as she heard a squeaky noise telling her the boards may be loose. She found a rusted, long sword and heard a thump from the top floor. She whispered for Shalla-Bal then hit the button on her uniform. A buzzing sound came off signaling the others that she needed help.

She immediately looked behind her with the flashlight, tripped, and fell through some base boards into a pool of putrid water. It was so disgusting she felt sick to her stomach. Just then the water drained to reveal corpses floating. Frsntically, she tried to find a way out. She felt a hand touch her shoulder and yanked it off. She stood and pushed herself up to escape. She grabbed the sword and wished she'll take a nice, long shower after this mission.

Johnny and Ben were repairing the AstroWing, along with a few more supplies. They were actually using dead demons as tools.

"These body parts may be very useful. At this rate, it can actually fly again," Ben said.

Johnny added, "I don't like the looks of this. This place is like Stephen King's or Stan Lee's worst nightmare." He was holding Sue in his arms when she began to stir. She didn't quite open her eyes, but kept calling Reed's name. He told her to quiet down and then she said that he must be careful and that Mephisto is a soul snatcher. He assured her that she'll be all right while Ben put some touches on the ship.

Reed and Norrin came to a hot, dark place which almost resembled a throne room. Reed stopped abruptly as he felt a pulse. Thanks to Terri's powers, he sensed that Sue just woke up and was calling his name. He hit the button on his uniform and whispered to Norrin what he discovered.

Suddenly they heard a piercing scream. He thought it was just a sound effect to trick them, but Norrin knew it sounded like Shalla-Bal's voice. He whispered in a hoarse voice for her name and reached for the back of the throne. It quickly turned and Mephisto pushed him back. They skidded to a stop and he said in a maniacal voice, "You're so predictable, Norrin Radd. Like a damsel in distress."

Suddenly he no longer felt Shalla-Bal's life force and realized what happened.

"You...you killed her?" Norrin said startled.

Reed immediately told him, "Norrin! Don't listen to him! She's not dead. You told us before who she is and what she looked like. It was good enough because I can sense her presence. She's here, Norrin! She's here!"

"Not for long..." Mephisto said as he raised his hand, pushed Reed back, and felt as if he was being squeezed. "Not if I take your soul first..."

Norrin realized that he's immortal and grows stronger with each soul he takes. Even though the board was from powerful Galactus, he may not stand a chance. As Reed was screaming in agony, he did the unthinkable. He charged and Mephisto and fought with everything he had.

During the clash, Terri heard a female voice. "Shalla...Shallla," she kept calling.

She found her at last with her arms raised up in chains. Her mouth was covered by tape and she looked 99% like Susan, just the way Norrin described her! She used her sword to cut off the chains and Shalla-Bal took off the tape.

"Susan...no you're Shalaa-Bal!" Terri exclaimed.

She asked how she knew and Terri said that Norrin sent them. "They'll come later, they're fighting Mephisto." Shalla-Bal gasped and said that they won't survive, she too fought him but was close to dying. Terri carried her to the AstroWing as they talked more about her loved one who wasn't seen in years.

After a short duel, Norrin went out of breath. Apparently, the board wasn't as strong as Mephisto. He looked at Reed who was being squeezed to death.

"All right...If I have to offer a soul to you, let it be mine."

Reed gasped at what he said.

Norrin stepped off his board, walked to Mephisto, and knelt down. He let go of Reed and said, "I knew you'd see reason. I could use a drone instead of a corpse, you seem to be more valuable." He wanted to use the Surfer as a servant, like Galactus, not to destroy, to dominate. He grabbed a shiny, red spear and was about to throw it at him when Fennan stepped in.

"Norrin! No!" he kept screaming and suddenly it impaled him. He fell into his half-brother's arms. Out of nowhere a bomb hit him and blew up in the throne.

"Back and fully charged!" Terri announced in the cockpit. Reed ran to it while carrying a bleeding Fennan and Ben explained that the damage they'd withstand has been minimized by 50% thanks to the demons they found. The team reunited, Shalla-Bal stepped forward and called Norrin's name.

He looked up and was caught in her eyes. He stepped onto the board and looked closer at her. Then they were in each other's arms. "You came back..." he said while he was blinking back tears.

Mephisto started to rise as the room collapsed. They were trapped but Norrin knew the way. The AstroWing followed as he led them out. Demons and other creatures chased them, but luckily they escaped to the mothership.

Fennan was taking short breaths as he told Norrin not to worry about him. "Good...luck, brother. I'm sorry that I...can't..." Fennan said as he closed his eyes. He sacrificed his life for Norrin while he was selling his soul.

There were a few sobs and Trake begged him to bring Fennan back, if possible. Norrin was in Shalla-Bal's arms once more. He tried to kiss her when he noticed something; he couldn't touch her. Shalla-Bal concluded that the reason was, even though they found her, she was missing something. They only found her soul!

 **A/N: Man that was awesome! We all know Mephisto is the Satan incarnate from the Marvel universe, so of course he's immortal and can't die. The scenario when Terri was looking fir Shalla was roughly inspired by that scene from** _ **Disturbia**_ **. It was quite a twist that Fennan, Norrin's half-brother, willingly sacrificed himself to save his soul. Now Shalla's is missing, and they're on their final destination to get her body. Stay tuned for the epic finale!**


	7. Chapter 7

It was hard to believe, but it turned out that Shalla-Bal was right. Terri proved it when she tried touching her. She just saw her hand go right through and she felt nothing at all.

She asked, "Do you remember where Mephisto kept your body?"

Shalla-Bal shook her head; however, she did remember him saying that it was taken to an intergalactic graveyard.

Trake suddenly looked up and said that it was known as the Magik Domain. No one knew because nobody has ever been there personally. It was said that it was a distant universe in which a powerful ruler reigns over a mysterious junkyard of sorts. Rumor had it that a lot of black holes were created there, some of the junk was brought there by very strong cosmic pulses. No one has ever survived while being carried to this place.

"I suppose it's ironic since it doesn't seem to be magic at all," Trake thought sadly watching over his fallen comrade.

Recently Norrin came to Fennan's side and used his hands to make him breathe again but remain unconscious. According to the analysis, Trake and Reed concluded the Magik Domain was six light years south from where the group last visited. They wasted no time heading to the space graveyard.

When the mothership arrived a few hours later, Trake immediately shown Reed and the others an amazing surprise. The FantastiCar looked the same, but, from the exterior, it was different. Half of the day and night crews had remade the body so it could be able to travel in space. The group, in astonishment, can now use it to look for Shalla-Bal's body. They only went by themselves because Norrin was certain that he couldn't proceed in the other galaxy, since he was still in exile. He stayed with Trake and Shalla-Bal while they set off with the new FantastiCar and the AstroWing.

They were approaching unknown territory and then enemies started attacking them from everywhere. They were in large groups but they were lightning fast. The team managed to press on and saw a lot of space trash. Some were entire vessels, others were small parts of them. They all looked abandoned and destroyed. It was depressing like a cemetery, instead of tombstones there were ships engraved with their names and skeletons were seen inside them.

Just then meteors came toward the quintet along with a few asteroids. They realized the legends were true, since the ruler was defending his graveyard from intruders. After long bouts with the space rocks and some tricky pathways, they finally made it to the heart of the graveyard.

They could see stars from miles around. Red ones, yellow, blue, white, big and small, even red giants, neutron stars, and white dwarfs. The five grew in awe at their surroundings. Just as they saw Shalla-Bal's lifeless body inside a small glass jar. They heard a deep digital two-toned voice that said he cannot allow them to go any further.

A man with black short hair, a pale blue face, and a long dark blue and red cape emerged holding Shalla-Bal's prison. "This is what you came for, isn't it?" he said. "You've come to the right place, to be demolished just like many of the other ships that came here." Then in astonishment, he declared to keep the AstroWing and the FantastiCar since he was interested on adding the Fantastic Five to his collection.

"Such a pity that you must go down," he sighed.

He spread out his hands and an enormous volley of missiles and lasers shot out toward the team. The two vessels split up. Terri evaded some of the melee and shot at the oncoming missiles. The FantastiCar was protected by Sue's force field. Reed and Johnny fended off the onslaught, while Ben skillfully piloted his vessel. Then behind them, a short volley of honing missiles soared toward them. They've tried to avoid them but they were always being chased so they took turns wiping out every missile on their tails. Few of the missiles hit the ruler. They took a few hits but eventually the area was clear.

The ruler was impressed but then turned alert shortly as he changed into a humongous suit of armor built with every bomb and gun made from the universe. Once again they were in combat. Their wings were severely damaged and the weaponry he had was infinite. After a painstaking, brutal assault they stopped shooting.

"Intrigued...I'm no match for you...I admit defeat."

He turned away and Johnny chirped that he was lying through his teeth, if he had any. He immediately turned back and hollered. "You're not as stupid as you look!"

He spread out his arms again and his body started to glow and collapse into itself. Reed and the others gasped as they realized what was happening. They heard a whooshing sound growing louder every second and the stars were being sucked into the ruler of the graveyard.

Reed ordered to turn their tails and run as the unthinkable was occurring. He was transforming into a black hole! He was sacrificing his own life to take in the entire universe. He became the singularity as the two vessels escaped with their lives after Reed snatched Shalla-Bal's body with a grappling hook.

The five were unsure they were going to escape since the wings were mangled and the fuel was running out. The black hole was closing in fast as they made their way to the mothership. From there, Trake ordered the crew to take the two ships in before they and Shalla-Bal get sucked in. It shot a tractor beam which pulled them in quickly. Norrin aided using his board.

The FantastiCar and the AstroWing materialized inside the parking zone along with Shalla-Bal's encased body. The mothership turned and at warp speed flew away from the black hole. The group sighed with relief after some long breaths and slowly came out, opened the container, and carried the body to the room where Fennan, Norrin, and Trake waited for them.

The body was laid on a bed beside Fennan. In a scared voice, Shalla-Bal hopes that she can reunite with her battered body. She climbed onto the bed and laid back into her body. The soul disappeared and Norrin put his hand on her heart.

"Come on, Shalla, you can make it..." he whispered.

He closed his eyes and a few minutes later, there was a light breathing and a pulse. He squeezed her hand and then she returned the pressure as she opened her eyes. He embraced her and Fennan was awakened too. He looked at his hands and realized he was alive again.

The gang giggled and Fennan muttered. "Another family reunited." He tried to give his half-brother's attention but he was still holding Shalla-Bal close to him. "I think we should leave these two alone." he said.

They left and Norrin, for the first time, broke into tears. Shalla-Bal asked if he was okay and said soothing words as she stroked him. He promised that he'll never leave her side again.

The mothership headed home as the two caught up and embraced each other once more.

Back where they started, at the Arctic Circle, Trake just got a message somewhere from deep space. He told Norrin and the others the news. "You know, I think your the first extraterrestrial to go off exile early for good behavior."

Terri shocked said. "Good behavior?"

"That's what I'm calling it, if you got a problem with that call somebody who cares."

She laughed as she repeated herself but shortly fell to depression. "Well, then I guess there's one problem left."

Johnny asked and she answered. "How much I'm going to miss him."

He assured that it isn't the Dark Ages, they'll still see each other...someday.

Norrin thanked everyone and that he would owe them all his life.

Terri said, "A life is never owed when saved out of friendship." She shook his hand firmly and slowly before he and Shalla-Bal got on his board and left with the mothership.

The group along with Alicia, John Myers, and Frankie cheered as they watched them leave to Zenn-La.

Love sure conquered all boundaries. Aliens and mankind both its best and its worst accomplished the mission. Every evening they would look at the stars together and wonder when the one they loved will finally return.

 **A/N: Finally, it's done. Like I kept saying, it's an old story and it's not entirely my best work. However, if you loyal viewers happen to like this, then kudos to you. I was disappointed that the Mister Sinister look-a-alike turned out to be some kind of mega mech in the game. So I decided to make him seem different. By canon, I don't think he's the same as the one from the X-Men series. Again, some things were ripped off from** _ **Disturbia**_ **and** _ **Star Fox**_ **, mostly 64. I hope the Fantastic Four did see Norrin and the Zenn-Lavians a second time as allies.**

 **So another story over and done with. What'll be next? I guess it depends on what the future will bring. See you all next time!**


End file.
